


The Blind Date

by SperaStella



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blind Date, Blindness, Cocktail longue, Dinner Date, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Making Out, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29435112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SperaStella/pseuds/SperaStella
Summary: For the first time in months, Rey Solana finds herself preparing a date.A blind date set up by her best friend...on Valentine's Day.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 28
Kudos: 53





	1. Dinner

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bright_Boisterous_Bananas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bright_Boisterous_Bananas/gifts).
  * Inspired by [I'm a Grown Ass Woman](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23043445) by [Bright_Boisterous_Bananas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bright_Boisterous_Bananas/pseuds/Bright_Boisterous_Bananas). 



> So you may notice something different, I've changed my username from "Lemartes927" to this one...but I promise it's still me!
> 
> I've been kicking this idea around for a while and then when I saw you were my fic exchange partner TrippleB, I just knew I had to write this because [I'm a Grown Ass Woman](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23043445/chapters/55109059) is my absolute favorite fic of yours! I really hope you like this!

“Remind me again why I let you talk me into this?”

Rey stands in front of the bathroom mirror wearing a simple sleek green dress. It had been months since she wore anything nicer than her “good” jeans, but even she had to admit she looked cute in this number. At least she hoped her date would think she looked cute too.

“Because you love me,” her roommate Rose chirps from the bedroom. 

“Okay, but why does it have to be dinner on Valentine’s Day?” Shutting off the light to the bathroom, Rey takes a seat on the bed. “And why does it have to be a blind date?” 

“Oh, stop complaining sweetie,” chides Rose playfully as she straightens her necklace in the mirror. “It’s about time you get back up on that horse. And trust me, this will be good for you.”

On that account, Rose is probably right. It had been seven months since her ugly breakup with Ben Solo...and “ugly” was putting it very mildly. A more apropos description of their separation would have been a complete dumpster fire. It had taken nearly all her strength and conviction, along with Rose’s help, to finally break it off and put him in her rear-view mirror. Therapy certainly helped as well, but Rey still preferred to leave the past in the past and not talk about it. 

Somehow through the shitstorm, she had managed to finish her degree at MIT, graduate, and get a job. It felt good to stand on her own two feet, especially away from him. The days and months flew by so fast she never thought twice about dating again, not after everything that happened. She couldn’t imagine putting herself in a situation like that again. But then shortly after New Year’s, Rey made the mistake of casually shrugging at Rose’s suggestion that she try dating. Turns out a noncommittal was all her best friend needed to go into full matchmaker mode. More than a few nagging suggestions later and here they are. 

“Fine,” Rey laughs, “but that still doesn’t explain why it has to be a blind date? What’s wrong with just a regular normal date? And can you at least tell me something about him? How about his name?”

“Sorry, no…” 

Rose looks away suspiciously as her voice trails off. 

“Wait?! Wait a minute!” Rey points her finger accusingly at her best friend. “You’re setting me up on a blind date, on Valentine’s no less, with a guy you don’t even know?!” 

“I do know him...sorta.” Rey gives her a look intended to kill. “Okay fine, so I don’t know him exactly, he’s Paige’s friend. You see we were talking the other day at lunch and I mentioned how you didn’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day, which is when Paige mentioned she knows someone who might be good for you.” 

“So you basically set me up with a stranger you don’t even know? Rose, you know the last time—” 

“Rey,” she interjects, putting a calming hand on her shoulder, “You trust me and I trust Paige. She says he’s a good guy, nice and kind. Obviously, I never told her any details about what happened between you and Ben, but she’s not clueless.” A shiver runs down Rey’s spine just hearing his name out loud. “I trust that Paige wouldn’t have set you up with this guy if he wasn’t a perfect gentleman. Okay?”

“Okay,” she nods, taking in a deep breath. 

“Worst-case scenario, I’ll give you a ring with an escape call once you are a half-hour into your date and if there is no chemistry or you just aren’t feeling up to it, you can politely excuse yourself.” 

“Right.” 

“And hey, if things end up going really well just know I’ll be spending the night at Finn’s apartment so you’ll have this whole place to yourself for... _activities_ ,” winks Rose devilishly. 

“Subtle,” Rey giggles. 

Knowing she has an out helps breathe some much-needed confidence into her system as she gives herself a final once-over in the mirror. _Please let things work out_ , she prays. Climbing back aboard the dating train again may be nerve-wracking, but Rey’d be lying if she said she wasn’t yearning for a little human connection.

***

Rey stands in front of the rustic doors to Lolita Fort Point, an upscale restaurant serving Mexican cuisine. This definitely would not have been her first guess for a date on Valentine’s Day. She’s not a picky eater, but she would have still expected her date to pick something more normal, like Italian.

Eyeing the door handle, Rey takes a deep breath. There is still time to back out and call this whole thing off. She could leave now and probably save herself the headache of having to sit through dinner with a stranger. Frankly, she’d probably be doing him a favor. Seven months of not dating, preceded by however many months of whatever she and Ben were doing — which in hindsight could barely be classified as dating — all equated to the simple fact it had been quite a long time since she had been on a proper date. What if she was now a bad date and lousy conversationalist? On the other hand, Rose and Paige did go through the trouble of setting this whole thing up. Blind date or not, she would still feel guilty about blowing off whoever is waiting for her inside. 

As Rey struggles with a decision, the restaurant doors swing open and a family of five comes walking out. The father remains by the doors and holds them open for her. “Coming in?”

She sighs and looks up. “Yes.”

Well, decision made. At least she still has her rescue call from Rose in approximately — Rey checks her phone — thirty-two minutes. How bad could a date go in thirty-two minutes? 

Walking inside the restaurant, she scans the reception area. This is certainly an eclectic establishment. There is a large stain-glass window directly behind the bar that is lit up and a sea of skull bones are attached to the ceiling. There aren’t any single looking guys without dates waiting. Maybe her date is already seated at a table? Seems a little weird and perhaps not the best first impression? Admittedly, she doesn’t know what passes for proper blind date protocol these days. Rey buries the even more untenable thought that her date hasn’t even arrived yet. Hoping for the best, she approaches the hostess stand.

“Welcome to Lolita. Do you have a reservation?”

“Maybe? I’m not sure.”

“What’s the name?”

First, last or otherwise, Rose never told her the name of her date. Even if Rose did know his name, she knows her well enough to know if Rey had his name she would have spent every waking minute prior to the date Googling everything there is to know about the man. Obsessive Googling is good for acing MIT classes, but it can also be a real buzzkill. Anyway, she might as well take a chance and give the hostess her own name.

“Rey Solana.”

The server skims down the reservation list on her touchpad screen. “Solana...Solana…Rey Solana...” 

For the love of God, please let there be a reservation. If she was expected to come out on Valentine’s Day and this guy didn’t even bother to make a reservation—”

“Solana, yes, here we are,” points the hostess to her screen. “Table for two, seven-thirty, no dietary restrictions. Is this still correct?”

“Yes.” 

“Excellent,” affirms the hostess with a perfect hospitality smile. “Your party is already seated and waiting. You may check your coat at the cloakroom here on your left and then I can show you to your table.” 

“Alright.”

Shedding her large winter coat, Rey gives herself a final touch-up in the mirror on the wall before nodding to the hostess. She follows the woman through the winding rows of tables. _Please let him not be weird_ , _please let him not be weird_ , prays Rey silently as they pass table after table. Finally arriving near the back of the restaurant, she instantly spots the only table in the section with a man sitting alone. 

Sure enough, the hostess leads her to that very table. “Here we are, Ms. Solana.” 

The man at the table stands up a little clumsily and extends his hand. “Hello, I’m Poe. Poe Dameron.” 

Taking him in, Rey has to stop herself from audibly gasping aloud. He’s good looking, older, and wearing a white button-down shirt with a navy blue sports jacket. Those particulars would be examined more thoroughly later, but presently the only detail commanding her attention is the pair of tinted glasses at the bridge of his nose. 

He’s blind. 

She swallows deep in her throat. 

Rose set her up on a literal blind date. 

Rey furrows her brow, chastises herself, and a pit forms in her stomach at her initial reaction. She is absolutely not a prejudicial or discriminatory person. It’s just...shocking. 

“Um...hello?” the man, Poe, asks curiously.

Goddamnit! She is just standing there in stunned silence leaving him waiting for a response. What the hell is wrong with her? 

“I’m so sorry, hello.” Rey quickly takes his hand and finds it pleasantly warm while returning his handshake. “I’m Rey. Rey Solana.” After what she hopes is a perfectly respectable amount of time, she releases his hand and nervously wrings her own together.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Rey,” smiles Poe earnestly. He motions in the general direction of the chair in front of her. “Would you like to sit?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Despite being blind, she notices he doesn’t take his seat until she sits down first. Similar to the ceiling, there is a skull bone set on the table with three red roses planted on top of it. It's certainly a unique Valentine's flourishment. The hostess places a menu in front of her and nods pleasantly for them to enjoy their meal. Poe sits up straight with his hands folded out in front of him on the table and a pleasant smile frames his face. He has a nice smile, she thinks, it’s not too much to be overbearing, but just enough to be welcoming and help put her at ease. After several seconds of silence, Poe speaks first. 

“So, I guess we should address the elephant in the room huh?”

She tilts her head. “Pardon?”

“I’m blind.” 

“Oh…um...right.” 

Poe squeezes his lips together as if confused. “From your reaction, I take it Paige didn’t tell you?” 

Rey blushes and shakes her head. 

Several more seconds of silence pass before he speaks again.

“Sorry, I assume you’re shaking your head no?”

_For the love of everything good in the world, what in the hell is wrong with you woman?!_

Rey curses herself for her inconsiderate behavior. This is a disaster and so unbecoming. He probably hates her already. “Crap, I’m sorry. Yes. I mean yes, I was shaking my head no,” she stammers. “So no, Paige, or more specifically her sister Rose, never told me.” 

“Ah, I see...” Despite the obvious awkwardness, he doesn’t seem the least bit disturbed. “Well, I know this probably wasn’t what you were expecting; a literal blind date on Valentine’s Day right?” He pauses for a moment before continuing, seemingly admiring the irony of the situation himself. “If you’d like to leave Rey I totally understand and wouldn’t hold anything against you. I wouldn’t want you to feel obliged to stay just for our mutual friends the Tico sisters. Similarly, I would hate for you to stay for dinner out of pity for me. I assure you”—his face expands into a full-blown grin and he laughs—“I am a grown-ass man and I can handle the rejection.”

Unable to control herself, Rey giggles. 

Out loud. 

_What the hell!_

Her face turns beet red and she apologizes excessively for finding humor at his expense.

“Don’t worry about it,” he beams, “It was meant to be a joke!”

Getting past the initial embarrassment, this really isn’t so bad. Poe seems kind and has a good sense of humor. He’s certainly able to make light of awkward situations. And yes, the fact he’s also decent looking hasn’t escaped her notice either. Who cares if he’s blind and a bit older (late-20s or early-30s if she had to guess), there are plenty of guys worse than Poe Dameron. She would know, she dated one of them for almost two years...

Fixing her face into a pleasant smile, Rey looks up from her plate. “Thank you, Poe, but I would like to stay for dinner if that is okay?”

Even behind his glasses, she can see his face light up. She pushes down a fluttering feeling of nervous butterflies in her stomach. “Yes, absolutely!” 

As if perfectly on cue, their waitress approaches the table shortly thereafter. “Hi, I’m Rachel and I will be taking care of you this evening.” Turning to Rey first, she asks, “Can I start you off with something to drink?” 

Rey looks up and down the long drink menu in front of her. Margaritas, Bebidas, Sangria, Mojitos, Cervezas...it’s hard to keep it all straight. Placing the menu down, she looks up at Poe and blushes. “I’ve never had any of these. Would you mind ordering for both of us?”

“Sure thing,” he nods. “What do you normally like?”

“Anything is fine.”

She isn’t much of a drinker, but similar to her taste in food she’s always willing to try new things.

Poe turns in the general direction of the waitress. “Do you have a margarita with more fruit flavors?” 

“Yes, we have a Kiwi Brisa margarita that’s made with lime and strawberry kiwi.”

“Excellent. My date, Rey, will take one of those and I’ll just have the house Lolita margarita.” 

The server nods as she writes down the order. “Perfect. I’ll be right back with those. Take your time with the menu and...”—her smile suddenly fades—“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...we um…we don’t have a menu in braille but I can go through our entrees if you would like?”

Poe remains smiling, completely unfazed. “Thank you, Rachel, but that won’t be necessary. I’ve been here before and know the menu already.”

“Ok great. I’ll be right back with those drinks then.” 

When their server leaves, Poe turns back in her direction.

“So Rey, you said you are friends with Paige’s sister Rose is that correct?”

“Yes,” she nods. “Rose and I are actually roommates. We met freshman year in college and have been best friends ever since.”

“Cool.” 

“How do you know Paige?” she asks him. 

“We um, worked together a few years ago and stayed friends.”

“I see...” 

Another bout of awkward silence fills the space between them and holy crap is she bad at this. It’s like she’s completely forgotten how to flirt. Thankfully, Poe once again comes to her rescue. 

“Well, pardon my forwardness, but would you mind telling me more about yourself?” He pauses for a moment and is he...blushing? “It’s honestly been a while since I’ve been on a date that has lasted this long and I’m wholly unfamiliar with what would be proper etiquette in this situation.” 

“Really?”

“Well yeah, I mean there isn’t exactly a line around the block of women who want to date a blind guy and even some of the dates I have been on don’t last past initial introductions.”

Rey frowns. “That’s awful Poe. I mean you seem like a good enough guy and funny and hot, so why—”

_OH SHIT!_

Oh no Rey, what have you done? 

Her cheeks turn bright pink and she buries her face in her hands. Is it actually possible to die of embarrassment? Moreover, is it terrible she’s glad for a moment that he’s blind so he can’t see how ridiculous she looks right now? Yeah...that’s definitely a terrible thought. What in the hell is wrong with her? When did she get so bad at talking to cute guys? 

Poe doesn’t seem the least bit bothered. His face lights up again which causes more anxious butterflies to swoop through her stomach. “Well thank you,” he laughs bashfully while rubbing his hand behind his neck in a way she finds all too endearing. “That is certainly very kind of you to say, and if you don’t mind me saying...”—this time it's his face that flushes— "you are very pretty yourself.” 

Throwing caution to the wind, she decides to take a chance.

“How would you know whether I’m pretty or not?” she teases in a way she hopes is flirtatious. 

“Easy, I’m Daredevil,” he deadpans.

Rey really laughs out loud at that one, earning a satisfied smirk from Poe. 

“Okay, Matt Murdock, but really, how would you know whether I’m pretty or not?”

“Wow, so you know the devil of Hell’s Kitchen?” 

“Of course, now stop stalling and answer my question.”

“Alright, alright” grins Poe. “You have a pretty laugh...I just assume you also have a beautiful smile to go with that pretty laugh.” 

He states it like it's a matter-of-fact, causing butterflies to soar in her stomach and she finds herself blushing profusely for the third time this evening. It’s easily the best compliment she’s received in...well, damn, she can’t remember the last time she received such a flattering compliment!

“Stop it, Mr. Dameron,” jokes Rey (she really doesn’t want him to stop), “you’re making me blush!”

“That’s alright Ms. Solana,” he smirks, “I’m the man without fear, I live for danger.” 

After a moment of silence trying to keep a straight face, they both break out in laughter. 

Soon after, their waitress returns with their drinks, a bowl of chips, and a tray of three dipping sauces including guacamole. Rey begins digging into the chips and guacamole while Rachel takes their entree orders. For her entree, Rey chooses an assortment of tacos. Fish tacos, beef tacos, chicken tacos, it doesn’t matter, she will eat them all. 

“So, I believe you were going to tell me about yourself?” inquires Poe once their waitress leaves.

Rey embarrassingly swallows down a mouthful of chips and guac before clearing her throat with a large gulp of water. She ends up telling him about graduating from university last spring with her degree in mechanical engineering and landing her dream job at Skywalker Industries. She tells him about the old 1966 Mustang she’s restoring in her spare time. For some reason, she even tells him about her love for cheesy early 2000s rom-coms. 

Poe listens patiently, occasionally asks questions, and teases her when she eats most of the chips that had been set out as an appetizer. By the time their main entrees arrive, he is telling her about his time in the Air Force, working on his dad’s farm as a kid, and why Game of Thrones was massively overrated. He talks almost exclusively about his past and offers scant details about the present. 

She loses track of time as their dinner progresses onward. Earlier in the evening, when her phone buzzed with Rose’s rescue call she didn’t think twice and sent it straight to voicemail. The pressure she felt over a blind date, a Valentine’s Day date, or really any date for that matter, fades away. Instead, she finds herself increasingly enjoying Poe’s company. When he insists they split the Choco-Flan Cake for dessert, she doesn’t protest and ends up eating three-quarters of the cake herself!

Clearing their plates, their server leaves the bill with Poe

The prices on the menu were not cheap and she honestly feels a little bad having him pick up the tab. “Do you, um, want me to read the bill for you?” 

“That’s quite alright.” He pulls his credit card out of his wallet and feels along the side of the leather case of the bill before slipping his card inside. “I hope you had a nice time tonight...this was...fun.” 

“I had a wonderful time Poe, thank you.” 

She really did mean it too. Dinner had been fantastic and was only made better by his company. Not wanting the evening to end, an idea suddenly pops into her head. “Hey um...Poe,” she starts nervously, “I know this great bar a block or two from here called Drink. I’m uh...not sure if you’ve been there before, but would you maybe want to check it out?”

“Like now?”

“Yeah,” Rey blushes. “It’s only nine and they serve really great cocktails…”

“I actually haven’t been there before,” he delights, “but I would definitely love to try it if you say it's good.”

When the waitress comes back with their bill, Rey watches him ask for Rachel’s assistance leaving the tip and signing the receipt. “Are you ready to go?” he asks once the task is complete.

“Yes.”

Rising to her feet, Rey pushes in her chair and straightens out her dress. She watches Poe stand up slowly and unfold his cane. He stutter-steps forward to navigate his way around his chair before scrunching his nose and smiling timidly.

“Um Rey, would you mind helping guide me?” 

“Okay…” she answers nervously. “How do I um...do that?” Rey really likes him and doesn’t want to embarrass herself having never guided a blind person before. 

Poe holds out his left hand. “If you can just take my hand and place it just above your right elbow so I can, um, touch you and follow, that would be fine.” He seems ashamed to ask for her help and it makes her stomach tighten. 

Stepping closer to him, Rey reaches forward, takes his hand, and gently threads her fingers through his own. His touch is pleasant and warm, just like before, and they both smile wordlessly at the intimacy of the gesture. As she pulls him closer, Rey releases their hands and brings his own just above her right elbow as he instructed. 

Looking over her shoulder, she asks timidly, “Is this okay?” 

“Perfect sweetheart. Just walk normally and let me know how to move or if there are any steps or ramps or anything else that would um…trip me up.”

His casual use of the affectionate diminutive has her smiling widely. It’s such a small thing, but the way he says it — sweetheart — makes her feel precious. _Woah, slow down._ Can she stop swooning over him for two minutes and focus on the task at hand? 

“Of course.” 

She walks a bit slower with him at her arm, but she tries to keep an even pace. His grip on her arm is firm and he squeezes slightly when she guides them through one of the more crowded areas. It takes a bit more time, but they arrive at the cloakroom and retrieve their winter jackets. She can’t help but notice the slightly saddened expression on his face as he feels around with hands to pull up his jacket’s zipper. 

Taking a step toward him, Rey places a hand on his shoulder. “Is something wrong Poe?”

“Nothing,” he smiles meekly. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah...are we good to go?”

“Yes,” she replies, deciding to leave it alone for now. 

He extends his arm forward and she once again brings it just above her right elbow. Navigating the crowded waiting lounge carefully, they make their way outside and begin the short walk to Drink a few blocks away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Lolita Fort Point is a real restaurant in South Boston and one of my favorites. :)


	2. Drinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second-half of Rey's date takes an unexpected turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your wonderful support for this story. I hope you enjoy the ending!
> 
> Warning: Rey references and speaks to past verbal abuse.

The upscale bar Drink is an out-of-the-way cocktail lounge located in the basement of a large office building. The cellar has a rustic atmosphere with patrons crowded around a large snake-like U-shaped wooden bar-front with stools and benches set around for seating. Hanging up their winter coats on the rack by the door, Rey spots what looks like two of the only available seats in the back corner of the room. 

She takes his hand and leads him through the crowd. Weaving their way through the bustling basement, Poe occasionally bumps shoulders with other guests. Rey wraps her arm around the back of his waist and helps guide him. Much to her pleasure, he smiles quietly and doesn’t seem to mind the lack of proper technique or increased familiarity of the partial embrace. 

Arriving at their destination, they attempt to sit down in the open seats, but a man sitting on their right looks up and motions to them.

“Oh this seat is taken,” he smiles apologetically. “My wife just went to the restroom.”

“Oh...okay,” acknowledges Rey. She squeezes Poe’s hand. “Just a sec I’ll find us another pair of seats.” 

It is Valentine’s, she should have really expected something like this. Rising on her tippy-toes, she looks around for more seating.

Poe squeezes her hand back. “You can sit Rey, I don’t mind standing.”

She frowns as her head bobs above the crowd looking for free space. The whole point of coming to this bar was to spend more time together. Suddenly though, she smiles, an idea forming in her head. 

“Okay, do you trust me Poe?”

He tilts his head curiously. “Yeah?” 

“Alright, you sit down here.”

“Rey…”

She leans closer, takes his hand, and guides it down so can feel where the top of the bench is located. 

“Trust me. You can sit.”

“Okay.” 

Poe folds his cane and slowly sits down on the end of the bench. Once he is seated, Rey slides up next to him. Taking a deep breath, she lowers herself down into his lap. Her butt sits comfortably on his left thigh and she drapes her legs sideways across the rest of his lap. Wrapping her right arm across the back of his shoulders, she holds onto him for support. Her face flushes, she smiles timidly and asks, “Is this okay?” 

He inhales sharply. “More than.”

“Good.”

By any measure, she’s never been much of a girly girl and would normally never dream of attempting something this bold in public, but between the cellar’s dim lighting and dinner going so well, she feels braver than usual. Rey tugs herself closer to him and relaxes a bit more as she feels his heart beating strongly in his chest. He smells amazing, like a forest of pine trees, oak, and something else she can’t quite place.  _ Woah girl, we’re sniffing him now? _

When the bartender arrives to ask for their drink order, Rey explains to him that he shouldn’t order a specific drink. The way it works is you tell the bartender what drinks or liquors you are in the mood for and then they decide what drink to make you. She orders something with tequila — she was in a mood from dinner earlier — and Poe orders something with bourbon, citing an Old Fashioned as one of his favorite drinks. 

Settling in with their fresh cocktails, a pleasant silence washes over them as neither seems quite sure how to approach their newfound intimacy. In something of a role reversal, it’s eventually Rey who makes the first move.

“Poe, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, anything,” he smiles.

Glancing down, she traces slow rhythmic patterns into the top of his shoulder. “At dinner, you never really spoke about what you do now. You only spoke about your past.” Without responding, he takes another sip of his drink. “Why is that?”

“Rey…” he trails off apprehensively.

“Hey.” She brings her hand up to gently stroke the hair on the back of his neck. “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable, I just...I just want to know you better.” Biting her lip, she pulls herself closer, bringing her left arm across his chest and into a sideways hug. “Please,” she whispers, her face buried in the crook of his neck, “I want to be close to you.” 

“I-I...I don’t talk about it because I am afraid...” aches Poe, the anxiety on his face apparent even with his tinted glasses. “Being out with you tonight has been the first time in a long time I’ve felt like the old me. The way I was...before…” His hand motions to his bifocals. 

Suddenly it all makes sense. He wasn’t born blind or lost his sight as a child. It must have been a recent thing for him.

“God earlier,” he hangs his head, ”I couldn’t even help you with your coat, or hold the door open for you, or anything. I don’t want you to think of me as damaged or not good enough.”

Her hand cups his face and she gently lifts his chin. “Hey, I could never think that of you Poe. Okay?” 

Quiet surrounds them but Rey remains comfortably seated in his lap.

Poe sighs. “It happened a little over a year ago while I was still in the Air Force.” He sits up straight and begins to recall the story. “We were doing a routine training exercise when my plane experienced electrical failure. It was a freak one-in-a-billion chance event, but I was barely able to eject before crashing. I suffered major injuries from the crash including several broken bones, torn spleen, a concussion, and a few other issues I can’t remember. Unfortunately, my head injuries were so severe that my optic nerve was damaged. As a result, I lost my eyesight two weeks after the crash.” 

She can feel him exhale as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders telling the story. 

“That must have been terrifying, I’m sorry Poe.”

He smiles shortly and takes another sip of his drink. “It’s not your fault sweetheart. Quite frankly, it’s no one’s fault. Things happen. I guess...I guess on the positive side, my injuries were how I met Paige, she was one of the physical therapists I worked with during my recovery. And ultimately, if I hadn’t met Paige, I probably wouldn’t have met you.” His head picks up and his short smile grows into a grin. “ And I do kinda like you.” 

Rey blushes from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears. 

“Poe,” she murmurs in a hushed voice, “Will you please put your arm around me?”

His grin grows wider and he wraps his left arm fully around her slender waist, holding her tight. 

“Like this?”

“Yeah.” She breathes deeply and sighs in contentment. Time stretches for what seems like an entire week before she looks up at him with a smile. “Poe, I kinda like—”

Rey flinches when she spots him out of the corner of her eye. Her smile evaporates in an instant and it feels like all the oxygen is sucked out of the room. A deafening stillness replaces the pleasant humming noise of the patrons surrounding them. 

Standing near the basement entrance with a date attached to his arm is Ben Solo.

_ What the fuck is he doing here?  _

She was the one who first showed him this place, but Ben hated coming here to Southie. Whenever he came over to her apartment, he was always complaining about millennials (despite being one himself) and tourists. Weren’t there swanky bars in Back Bay, Beacon Hill or somewhere else his dumb ass frequented? Why did he have to show up here at her spot?

Feeling something change in her demeanor, Poe gently squeezes her waist, “Is everything okay sweetheart?”

“I um...I um…” 

Her arm around Poe wobbles, she fidgets in his lap, and her gaze stays affixed to Ben as he saunters into the bar. The day she broke up with him was the last time they saw one another. It had been seven months. 

Concern grows across Poe’s face and he sits up anxious and alarmed. “What is it sweetheart? What’s wrong? You’re trembling.”

Rey blinks, finally able to avert her stare, and looks up at Poe. She wraps her arms tighter around him, breathing in a fresh wave of his forest scent which calms her nerves and warms her stomach. 

“It’s...it’s...my ex,” she whispers. “He’s here.”

“I see.” Poe furrows his brow and purses his lips. “I uh...take it things did not end well?”

She breathes in deeply, then breathes out. Rey responds with a single word answer:

“Correct.”

He nods silently. Her gaze unwillingly turns back to Ben. Wasn’t she over him by now? What was the point of therapy if seeing him bothers her so much? After another moment of quiet, Poe tilts his head up with an inquiry. 

“Would you like to leave?”

Rey sighs and hangs her head. She really doesn’t want to go. They were having such a good time. It just had to be tonight though — the first time in months she tried dating again — that Ben Solo decides to pop back into her life to ruin everything. Why couldn’t she just have this one thing? 

“Y-Yes,” Rey answers reluctantly. “I’m...I’m sorry. Can we go?”

“Of course sweetheart.” 

She feels awful as she gets up from Poe’s lap — she really enjoyed that part — and watches as he settles their tab with the bartender. Taking his hand and pulling him close, they begin to move towards the cellar exit. 

Unfortunately, their departure is interrupted when Rey spots Ben’s listless eyes trained on her from a few paces away. Before she can even think of what to do or say, she watches in slow-motion as he makes his way over to them. 

“Rey isn’t this a pleasant surprise...” 

His voice is honeyed and his cold dead eyes shift between her and the man whose hand she is now holding onto like a lifeline. The last time she saw Ben she said very awful and very true things about him, things he most certainly would not have forgotten. This civility he’s feigning does not fool her one bit. She knows who he really is.

“Hi Ben,” she answers thickly, barely bothering to look up and make eye contact with him. Shivers run down her spine as she tries to walk around him. “We were just leaving…” 

Ben side-steps to block their path, his temper flaring when she doesn’t bother to acknowledge him any further. “Well, I see you’ve certainly moved on quickly.” His eyes grate over Poe. “Although it seems you are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for guys these days. I knew you were a scavenger for useless junk, but this...” Ben shakes his head in a way that makes her want to throw up. ”Old and handicapped is just pathetic.”

Rey feels like she is punched in the gut. Her grip on Poe’s hand loosens and her knees wobble. It had taken less than a minute, but here she was, once again about to be brought to tears by this awful, despicable man.

Poe doesn’t let go of her, he firmly squeezes her hand and takes a step forward. “Hello, I’m Poe. I don’t know who you are, but I would very much appreciate it if you did not talk about Rey that way.” 

Ben turns to Poe in revulsion. “Wow, are you deaf too? I wasn’t talking to you.”

Without his cane as a guide, Poe takes another half-step forward, this time into Ben’s personal space. 

“Listen, man, you can insult me all you want, but you will not disrespect my date. Do you understand?” 

“Your date?” scoffs Ben in disgust. “Please. How much are you paying her to spend time with your blind, deaf, and dumb ass anyway?”

His repeated insults of Poe snap Rey out of her stupor. Before Poe can even respond, Rey pulls him back and rounds on Ben. Despite the man easily having six inches on her, she shoves him straight back three steps and glares into his scornful eyes. 

“Don’t you dare talk about him that way,” she shrieks loudly. “Poe is ten-thousand times the man you’ll ever be.” Her elevated voice and their physical confrontation get the attention of several nearby patrons but Rey doesn’t back down. She clenches her hand into a fist to stop it from shaking. “You’re an asshole who doesn’t know the meaning of good. Leave us alone!”

“Is there a problem here?” asks the bar’s bouncer taking notice of the scene currently unfolding.

“No, we were just leaving,” huffs Rey, grabbing ahold of Poe’s hand and tugging him closer in a way she just knows will have Ben fuming. 

“Whatever, no problem here” he grumbles, eyeing them loathingly and sulking back over to the other side of the bar where his date is waiting for him. 

“Rey…” murmurs Poe in a concerned voice. “Are you okay?”

“Can we just go?” She gives his hand a squeeze and tugs on his arm gently. “Please? My place is a few blocks away.”

“Alright.”

***

They walk arm-in-arm down the streets of South Boston back to her apartment. The normally frigid New England night seems tempered when compared to the evening’s earlier events. “This is me,” announces Rey when they finally arrive in front of the two-story row house where she rents a room with Rose. Standing idle on the sidewalk for a moment, she gives his arm another squeeze.

“Would you like to come inside?.”

“Rey...I um...I had a wonderful time tonight, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Poe bites his lip and nervously shuffles his feet in place. “I uh...I don’t think we should have sex.”

She smiles at his openness, it’s one of the many things she admires about him. 

“That’s okay, I uh...don’t think we should either.” She blushes, takes a half step closer, and reaches up to wrap her arms around the back of his neck. “Is this okay?” she whispers, her breath hot against his face in the chill winter air. “We can just...talk.”

“Just talk?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” he slowly smiles. 

Releasing her embrace, she takes his hand, unlocks the outer front door, and helps guide him inside the house. They push and pull and laugh as Rey tries to direct him up the narrow staircase with more than a few bumps and stumbles along the way. Poe makes a joke about teaching her the proper way to guide someone up a flight of stairs, but he is all smiles when they finally arrive at her unit on the second floor.

Unlocking the door, she helps steer him inside her apartment. She takes their winter coats and hangs them in the closet. 

“Well this is my place...what do you think?”

“It smells nice,” he chuckles.

She giggles and swats his arm playfully.

“Can I get you anything to drink? Water, soda, beer, or something stronger?”

“Water would be great, thank you.”

Rey leans forward and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Be right back.” 

Blushing from head to toe, she hastily retreats into the small kitchen before she can catch his reaction. Well that wasn’t planned...but it definitely was nice. His cheek was warm and his stubble felt good against her lips. If that was his cheek, what would his lips feel like? What would they taste like? Rey smiles to herself as she fills up two glasses with water and glances up at him standing patiently in her living room right where she left him.

Returning to his side, she places the glass of water in his hand. “Here is your water.”

“Thanks.”

He takes a sip.

“Do you um, want to sit on the couch?” she asks. 

“Sure.”

Rey takes his hand and guides him down on the couch. Helping set his water glass on the end table, she gently pulls his arm around her as she settles into his left side. He pulls her close and she rests her head comfortably against his shoulder. It’s perfect, the two of them nestled together on the couch. She sighs blissfully, bathing in his warmth, and her eyes begin to flutter closed.

“So sweetheart, not that this isn’t wonderful, but did you want to talk?” hums Poe after several minutes of quiet. 

“Maybe.”

“Well...I had something I wanted to ask you if that’s alright?”

She traces her fingers over his hand currently wrapped around her.

“Yeah, sure.” 

…

“Your ex...was he right about me being too old for you?”

Rey furrows her brow, sits up, and looks at him. Clearly, Ben Solo wasn’t finished ruining her evening. “Why? What does it matter?” 

She watches Poe blush and turn his head away. “I...I told you, I really like you Rey, and...” He purses his lips nervously and takes a deep breath through his nose. “I just need to know this is real.” 

“Okay two things,” starts Rey in a stern voice. “First...wait, how old are you?” 

“I’m thirty.”

“Right. Okay. Well, I’m twenty-two and you are definitely not too old for me,” nods Rey defiantly. “I decide who I want to spend time with, not my stupid ex, and I like spending time with you.”

His lips inch upward in a short smile. “Okay…and the second thing?

“The second thing is you should never listen to my asshole ex. It was a really bad break-up.” She ducks her head into his shoulder, bites her lip, and surprises even herself with what she reveals next. 

“He was...abusive.”

A chilled silence fills the room and Rey takes a deep breath. This is the first time she has spoken those words out loud in months. Rose and her therapist were the only ones who knew the truth of what really happened. Even without looking up at him, she can feel Poe’s breath hitch and his body shiver apprehensively. He’s obviously uncomfortable, but there is no turning back now. If she really wants to move forward, she’s going to have to let go of the past.

“Ben wasn’t abusive physically or anything like that...he was...verbally abusive.” She speaks softly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “Everything started off fine between us, but over time things got worse. At first, it was a snide comment here or there about me, my friends, or something else. I initially passed these off as Ben just being in a bad mood or saying something he didn’t mean. Eventually, though, it became too much.” 

Poe listens patiently, his arm is an anchor, soothing her nerves and providing much-needed strength for her to continue. 

“He would berate me, belittle me and my friends, and say awful things like…”—Rey’s lip trembles—“...like I was too skinny or…or...my breasts were too small.” 

She can feel Poe flinch as the words come out of her mouth.

“It took me far too long to realize this and break up with him. That was seven months ago.”

They are surrounded by dead air when she finishes. Despite it feeling liberating to be able to speak the truth aloud, Rey also still feels inexplicably ashamed. Would Poe think less of her for staying with a man so vile for so long? She certainly did. It was an unspoken reason she had held off dating for so long. 

“Rey…” he murmurs, “Sweetheart.”

Her heart beats loudly in her chest at the sound of his husky voice.

“You are amazing and smart and kind and funny and sweet...and beautiful. Anyone who can’t see these truths is more blind than I am.” 

Rey lifts her head and looks up at Poe. His face is leaning down in her direction. How can he see her so clearly? 

Maybe her therapist was right. 

We accept the love we think we deserve.

“Poe,” she whispers, “Will you kiss me?”

He sits unmoving for a moment. Then, he slowly reaches over with his right hand and gently prods at her until he finds her other arm. His fingers trace their way up her forearm to her shoulder, then neck, and finally her cheek. Poe trails his thumb over her lips and pulls her close, nearly on top of him. She sighs, reveling in his slow and sensual movements. She knows part of what he’s doing is for him, he would have trouble finding her otherwise, but she enjoys his exploration all the same.

Using his thumb on her lips as a guide, he continues to narrow the space between them until the gap is finally no more. The swooping feeling in her belly bottoms out as he delicately slides his mouth over hers. His lips are soft and full and oh so amazing. 

Rey reaches forward, cups his cheek, and helps tilt his head to find the perfect angle. She moans into his throat as he deepens the kiss. After what feels like several lifetimes, they finally break apart, their foreheads pressed against one another. 

“Wow,” gasps Poe.

“Yeah…” she giggles breathlessly.

“More?” 

“Definitely...but can we um…” She bites her lip. “Can I sit in your lap?”

A wide smile grows across his face. “Absolutely.” 

Rey swings one leg over him and sits down right on his crotch, straddling him. Her hand reaches up toward his face and gently touches his tinted glasses. “May I?”

His smile fades. “It uh...it can be unsettling for some.”

“I want to see you.”

For the first time all evening, Poe nods wordlessly. 

Carefully pinching the bifocal’s frames, she glides them off his face and sets them down on the end table. Her hands rest on his chest as she sits propped up in his lap gazing into his eyes. Despite their distant stare, his pupils are brownish grey with a small flicker of light still remaining. 

“Well?” 

Rey leans forward and kisses him softly on the lips. “Beautiful.”

“That’s all you sweetheart,” he chuckles.

In short order, their mouths find each other fuse together. Hungry kisses continue to deepen as she cards her hands through his soft curls. When her tongue nips at his bottom lip, Poe graciously opens, granting her new areas to explore. She rocks her hips and grinds against him, his manhood tenting hard beneath her center. 

“Touch me.”

“Rey…”   


“Mmmm love how you say my name. Need you to touch me.”

Poe’s hands finally move down her hips to her butt. When he grabs each asscheek and squeezes, she groans and rocks harder against him. Still not fully satisfied, Rey tugs up on the hemline of her dress. His soft warm hands fumble around for a moment but eventually slide perfectly over her nearly bare-naked ass. They continue to rock and grind and whine against one another, making out like a couple of teenagers alone in the park on a Friday night. 

“Touch me,” She moans between kisses. “Please Poe, I want you to touch me more.”

His hands gracefully wander up her body, feeling out her different curves and contours.“You’re so beautiful sweetheart. So beautiful.” He plants soft wet kisses down the column of her neck, but it’s still not enough. Reaching down, Rey takes both his hands and guides them to her breasts. 

“Here.” 

His hands subtly retreat. “Sweetheart are you sure—”

She inhales deeply, grabs his hands again, and firmly places them back atop her breasts. “I want you to touch me here,” she resolves firmly. “Please.”

“...Okay.”

Even through the thin fabric of her dress, the way he gently touches and squeezes her tender mounds has her moaning sweet nothings. His touch is intoxicating and her lips can’t get enough of his taste. She delights in his continued exploration, his fingers mapping every inch of her into memory in order to form a complete picture in his mind. They grind and kiss and make out like that for what feels like hours. 

Unfortunately, hours don’t pass by and Poe eventually pulls back.

“I think I should go sweetheart,” he pants between breaths. “It’s getting late.”

Glancing over, she checks the clock. It's almost midnight. Goddammit. Rey rests her forehead against him. “I don’t want the night to end,” she whispers.

“I know.”

Wrapping both her arms tight around his neck, she kisses him softly on the cheek. “This was the best Valentine’s I’ve ever had,” admits Rey. “Thank you.”

He returns a half-dozen lazy kisses of his own. “I had a wonderful time too.” She watches his face scrunch for a moment before he speaks again. “Can I take you out again? On a date?”

“How about tomorrow?” 

“Tomorrow?”   


Rey pushes him back hard against the couch cushions and kisses him fiercely. “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

“Tomorrow,” he pants between hurried kisses.

“Tomorrow,” she repeats breathlessly.

Descending into another passionate make-out session, it takes a few more minutes for them to finally leave the couch. Rey helps guide him back to the door where he finds his way back into his bulky winter coat. She watches as he pulls out his phone and orders an Uber with the voice assistant. He then hands the device to her so she can enter her number.

“Are you okay to get home?” she asks while swiftly typing in her digits. “You could um...stay here if you want.”

“As fun as that sounds, I’m fine.” 

“Poe are you sure?”

“Relax sweetheart, I’m a grown-ass man remember?”

“Right,” Rey giggles. 

She walks him down the stairs and out to the sidewalk, this time doing a bunch better job guiding him and earning a laugh of approval. The late-evening wind is even colder than before and they hold each other for warmth. When his Uber finally arrives she pulls him close and kisses him tenderly.

“Thank you for a wonderful night Poe Dameron.”

“Of course,” He grins and kisses her back. “Thank you for an amazing evening Rey Solana.”

They stay frozen together, lazily kissing for several more moments until Poe’s Uber driver honks his horn at them. Laughing, Rey helps him over to the car and get seated before closing the door. She watches his hand press against the side of the door until it finds the window. His head turns and he smiles handsomely as the car pulls away. 

Rey smiles and sighs to herself, the freezing night air doing nothing to abate the warmth in her cheeks.

It’s amazing how a blind man she met just five hours ago can see her like few ever could.


End file.
